Map of Crete Vasiliki is a nice and quiet village in the Lasithi province, just south of Pachia Amos. You can reach the village through a turn in Pachia Amos, or if you come from the south comes Ierapetra, you can take an eit on the left hand side of the road. There, a little further on the left of the road between the olive groves, are the remains of a Minoan archaeological site. The village of Vasiliki itself however is also nice to take a look at. There is a large basin on the village square and an old church. This water basin has a large number of fish in it (koi carp, I think, I don't know much about fish). There is also a small tavern and there are water springs. The road goes up past old stone houses, bougainvillas and a few ruined houses to the big church that you have already seen from the distance.

The Minoan site of Vasiliki is situated just outside the village and is indicated by a brown sign. If you want to have a look at it you have to make a short walk through the olive groves and do a little climbing. There is a fence around it and the site was closed when we were there. I got the distinct impression that it is never or almost never opened, because nowhere there was trampled grass in and around the site. So all you can do is stare over the fences.

It has been a while they believed that this was a Minoan palace, but after much debate it was decided that it was more likely a town, since the size of the buildings were just about everywhere the same. On the site much pottery was found. Vasiliki has been inhabited from the early Minoan to Late Minoan times. However, there have been three fires, but each time the town was rebuilt.